A Methodology for Energy-Efficient Shelter Design with Bioclimatic Design Tools

In the traditional architecture of any settlement one can find a very strong relationship between the forms of architecture and the local climate. The form of the shelter decides the bulk of its energy consumption. The climate becomes the dominant force in finding the solution when there is scarcity of available resources like building materials and construction techniques. The modern buildings’ unrealistic faith in artificial systems leads to designs which disregard the climate and produce buildings that are both physiologically and psychologically inhospitable as well as more energy-consuming. The bioclimatic design approach in architecture utilize the local micro-climatic conditions of the site to achieve thermal comfort in the building while minimizing the use of mechanical means and energy consumption. The main aim of this study is to explore the bioclimatic design strategies to achieve energyefficiency in modern shelter design and construction in creating comfortable indoor living condition. The Building Bioclimatic Chart and Climatic Analysis Software are used for the analysis of climatic parameters, and design recommendations are formulated, based on the result of the analysis and the overview of the traditional architecture of the settlement.